Investigating Web 2.0 Tools Use and Students Cognitive Engagement in Selected Tanzanian Higher Institutions: Preparing Towards 21st Learning

Abstract

With the availability and affordability of computers and communication technology devices worldwide, teaching no longer centers around teachers. Students become autonomous learners, taking the ownership of learning where they no longer rely fully on teachers as the learning resources. This paves innovative intervention towards engaging the learners cognitively using Web 2.0 tools. Web 2.0 tools offer learners to engage in higher order thinking skills involving not just to understand and apply but also to analyze, evaluate and create through two-way communications and collaborations. Due to the pedagogical potentials of Web 2.0 tools, this study attempts to investigate how the students involve Web 2.0 tools in supporting classroom learning. This study employed a questionnaire survey among students at a Higher Learning Institution involving 100 samples. This is a preliminary study prior to the final study involving bigger populations from different universities. Interviews were also carried out among three students to gain in-depth understanding of learning that enables the researcher to derive a conceptual model. The related main ideas from each interviewee were gathered to get commonality of themes. And finally, main themes were generated. A systematic data analysis was done based on developing themes in an inductive way as directed by the content of data. The findings reveal that the majority of students use Web 2.0 tools for finding resources, communication and for both low and higher order thinking skills. Further findings show that Academic readiness contributed significantly on students cognitive engagement while Use of Web 2.0 tools did not contribute significantly. Implications of the study address the theoretical and practical aspects. Keywords-Web 2.0, cognitive engagement, 21 st Century, higher learning institutions. I.INTRODUCTION Web 2.0 tools are defined as those digital tools that enable accessing and producing knowledge in ways that move beyond passive consumption to active construction (Beach, Hull & O'Brien, 2011). There are different types of Web 2.0 tools such as (i) social network sites which include Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp. These are online tools that enhance collaboration, information sharing, communication and interaction of learners and lecturers in teaching and learning activities. (ii) Media sharing which include Moovely, Youtube, Google plus (+), Vimeo, Prezi (iii) Blogging like Blogspot.com, Wordpress, Website editor, Mozello.com, Wix.com, Weebly.com, Moovly (iv) Online library like ProQuest, Google scholar (v) Content management such as learning management system (LMS) which includes Moodle and Blackboard. Table 1.0 reveals the types and applications of Web 2.0 tools. Table.1.0: Web 2.0 Tools and their functions in teaching and learning Types of Tools Examples Applications Social network sites Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, MySpace Enhances learner to interact with peers and lecturers. Enhance knowledge sharing, creative production, development of ideas and making reflection Media...

Students’ experiences of learning in virtual classrooms facilitated by Google Classroom

“…Additionally, the students pointed out that using Google Classroom gives them access to both hard and soft learning resources, which then promotes their desire to learn and makes them like the course better. This nding con rms previous studies that suggested students positively perceived Google classroom as a learning tool since it increased convenience, provides the exibility to access/print learning resources at any time and anywhere, and encouraged learning (Ahmad et al, 2022;Apriani et al, 2020;Gupta & Pathania, 2021;Jaca, 2022;Malecela & Hassan, 2019;Moonma, 2021;Oladele et al, 2021;Rohman et al, 2020;Saidu & Al Mamun, 2022;Saidu & Ibrahim, 2021;Famularsih, 2020;Ventayen et al, 2018). However, the ndings of this study contradicted some previous studies that suggested that the use of Google Classroom as a learning tool is less effective in terms of material discussion (Rahmawati et al, 2020) and students' lack of interest and motivation to use Google Classroom (Hussein et al, 2021).…”

“…The reviewed literature indicated that several e-learning platforms have been adopted and used to facilitate teaching and learning in many higher learning institutions, including Google Classroom, Edmodo, Moodle, and Blackboard (Annurwanda & Winata, 2021;Coman et al, 2020;Jaca, 2022;Malecela & Hassan, 2019;Tue & Hanh, 2021). However, one of the most popular and well-known e-learning platforms for online/blended learning is Google Classroom (Annurwanda & Winata, 2021;Apriani et al, 2020).…”

“…Undoubtedly, the 21 st century has testi ed to the advancements in modern information and communication technology (ICT) (Moonma, 2021;Patterson et al, 2020;Zhou et al, 2022). The concept of 21 st -century education proposed that lecturers/instructors use digital tools such as laptops, personal digital assistants, images, text, audio, and video (Gupta & Pathania, 2021;Malecela & Hassan, 2019) to expand their teaching and ensure their students/learners acquired the required of 21 st -century skills (Famularsih, 2020;Oladele et al, 2021). Besides, 21 st -century education encouraged students/learners to collaborate, communicate, and develop creativity and critical thinking skills (HAJI, 2022;Kazoka & Mwantimwa, 2019).…”

“…Moreover, the prior studies on the usage of e-learning technologies in the Tanzanian context have mainly focused on the use of web 2.0 tools such as Edmodo and Moodle (Bernard et al, 2012;Kazoka & Mwantimwa, 2019;Malecela & Hassan, 2019;Mtega et al, 2013), usage and user attitudes (Almas et al, 2021;Kazoka, 2020;Malecela & Hassan, 2019;Mtega et al, 2013), the potential of e-learning (Ibrahim et al, 2020;Lubua, 2015;Mahenge & Sanga, 2016;Mtebe, 2013;Mtega et al, 2013) and let the usage of some web 2.0 tools such as Google Classroom resting. Little is known about the usage and student experience of using Google Classroom as a learning tool in Tanzania's context.…”

Students’ experiences of learning in virtual classrooms facilitated by Google Classroom

“…The current study by (Patterson et al, 2020) adds that the rapid expansion of the use of innovative technologies that facilitate online content delivery has turned out to be unavoidable within today's tertiary landscape. The concept of 21st -century education proposes that lecturers/instructors use digital tools such as laptops, personal digital assistants, images, text, audio, and video (Gupta & Pathania, 2021;Malecela & Hassan, 2019) to expand their teaching and ensure their students/learners meet the requirements of 21st -century skills (Famularsih, 2020;Oladele et al, 2021). Besides, it encourages students/learners to collaborate, communicate, and develop creativity and critical thinking skills (HAJI, 2022; Kazoka & Mwantimwa, 2019).…”